


I Tempest Naut

by Ellen_Fitzwilliam_Brandybuck



Series: Greedfall Romance Guide for the Shameless [2]
Category: GreedFall (Video Game)
Genre: Action & Romance, Adventure & Romance, F/M, First Kiss, First Love, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Multi, Other, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Friendship, Sensuality, Sexy, Shameless Smut, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:14:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23962153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellen_Fitzwilliam_Brandybuck/pseuds/Ellen_Fitzwilliam_Brandybuck
Summary: Being a Naut Captain means you often take on cargo you have no desire for and Vasco has little interest in political machinations but must accompany the young Legate of the Congregation to the colony in Teer Fradee. Though his first impression of the noblewoman was far from kind, Vasco finds himself drawn to her much as he's drawn to the sea. The tumultuous waves of life surrounding her require skills only a Naut may have and without realizing it, Vasco falls into the tempest.
Relationships: De Sardet/Vasco (GreedFall)
Series: Greedfall Romance Guide for the Shameless [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2101137
Comments: 15
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Because I couldn't quite figure out which I preferred, Kurt or Vasco, I wrote two entirely different kinds of stories for each of them. The Kurt story is already written, "His Sweet Excellency, Her Dear Friend," and its rating and style reflect what I felt would work best for a De Sardet/Kurt story. If you read that, understand the tone for a Vasco story will be quite different. Higher rating because, well, Nauts, and, well, Vasco. If you haven't read the other, give it a gander, eh, and let me know what you think. And please leave comments and critiques for this one as well; I am happy to oblige requests for certain characters or scenes. Also, I take some liberty with storylines and timing of dialogue and events from the game, but that's to be expected with fanfiction, eh? Without further ado: Cheers!

Blue and black colors were churning together as the bow sliced through the waves. Frothy white spray sprang upon the wind and tickled his face. Vasco smiled. He rolled onto his back on the bow netting and stared up at the carved figurehead of the Cuttlefish just below the bowsprit. This was his favorite spot. He was the smallest and youngest member of the crew and was often called upon to climb up the rigging to the hardest to reach spots or out here to the flying jib, his small hands, but strong muscles put to great use. Vasco sighed and closed his eyes. Being a cabin boy was tiring but fun and he couldn't imagine anything else or anywhere else to live. The rise and fall of the ship, the cooling foam of the sea, the singing wind in the sails…

"Oi, Vasco!" Vasco opened his eyes. Captain Lisandro stood with his elbows braced on the bow railing above him, a stern frown on his face. "Did I, or did I not, tell ye to trim the jib?"

Vasco scrambled to his knees, "I already did, cap'n."

Captain Lisandro looked past Vasco to the bowsprit and studied the sails attached to it. Vasco knew he wouldn't be able to stay any longer in his secret spot and took to climbing back onto the deck.

"Do it again, Vasco," Captain Lisandro grabbed hold of Vasco's shoulders once he was on the deck and turned him to look back at the jib, "you see that there?" Leaning down, Captain Lisandro pointed down the bowsprit to one of Vasco's knots, "What if a squall comes up unexpected like? Do ye think ye'll be able to untie that knot when it counts?"

Vasco sighed, "But I used the knot-"

"Vasco," Captain Lisandro stood to his fullest height and stared down, reminding Vasco that he was just a cabin boy and had no right to speak back to the captain, "when yer the captain, ye'll understand. Now," Captain Lisandro nodded back out to the jib as he crossed his arms over his chest, "do it right."

Vasco nodded and began to climb back onto the bow netting. The first mate's hurried approach had Vasco pausing in his movements. He'd never seen Gabriel with such a look on his face and he was curious what this was about.

"Captain," Gabriel came to stand next to Captain Lisandro, "it's one of the natives sir," he glanced at Vasco and raised an eyebrow, "aren't you supposed to be doing something, boy?"

"Aye." Vasco dropped down to the netting but kept his attention half on the conversation going on above him.

"What about the native?"

"She's about to give birth, sir."

Vasco's eyes widened. The captain hadn't allowed him onto the island where they'd picked up the natives a few months ago. It would have been his first land exploration aside from the Continent. Disappointed, and a bit angry, Vasco had stayed aboard and watched as they filled their hold with exotic foods, animals, and even people. Since that time, Captain Lisandro hadn't allowed Vasco near the hold where they were all kept. The only time Vasco caught sight of the native's strange dress or heard their bizarre language was when they were brought on deck for sunlight and fresh air. Even then, Vasco only caught glimpses when he managed to stay hidden in the rigging above; otherwise, either Gabriel or Captain Lisandro told him to scuttle elsewhere.

He heard Captain Lisandro curse, "So soon? I thought we'd make it back to the Continent before it was time." Another curse, followed by a heavy sigh, "Do they have a healer among them, or do we need to send cook in there to help?"

"I believe the woman is THE healer, sir. But she'll need linen and water for certain."

"See to it then." Captain Lisandro leaned on the bow railing and saw Vasco dawdling. At his look, Vasco doubled his efforts.

"Captain," Vasco paused as he too wanted to hear Gabriel's next words, "will we enact the code with this child?"

Vasco finished his work and was back on the deck beside the captain before he replied. His arrival caught Captain Lisandro's attention, and Vasco earned a head pat from the grizzled older man. Vasco couldn't quite tell what it was the captain felt, but there was something heavy in the surrounding air that made Vasco feel odd.

"I suppose we'll see when we make it to Serene. There's no telling what the Prince might think of us taking one of his prisoners," Captain Lisandro dropped his hand from Vasco's head, "best we wait and see."

"Aye captain." Gabriel hurried off back to the hold with Vasco watching him go.

"They don't look like prisoners, cap'n." Vasco looked up to his captain and watched as another strange feeling settled on the man's sea-weathered face.

Captain Lisandro sighed, "Things are not always as they seem, Vasco, and it's best you learn that early on."


	2. Chapter 2

There was something about water that made her soul dance. For as long as she could recollect, any time she was in, on, or near water, Marcelline de Sardet's heart would lighten. Perhaps it was the sound of it: trickling, lapping, swishing, swirling, slapping, bubbling… Or maybe it was the smell of the salt of the sea or the earthiness of freshwater. Then there was the quality of it to consider: the buoyancy of her body as it floated in the saline currents of the ocean or the refreshing blanket of freshwater that wrapped around her as she swam to the bottom of a lake or river. Whatever it was, Marcelline could forget all cares and woes whenever a body of water was near.

On this hazy morning, the harbor was abuzz with activity. It wasn't difficult to slip into the comings and goings unseen. Not for the first time, Marcelline followed her cousin out of their lessons with Monsieur De Courcillon. The only reason their older tutor didn't betray them to the Prince was because of Marcelline's innovative thinking. She had convinced Monsieur De Courcillon to use these unplanned excursions as fodder for their lessons. So long as both Constantin and Marcelline regaled him with all the details of what they'd seen and heard and they engaged in discussion with the Monsieur when he asked follow-up questions, they were free to venture out on these excursions at least once a month. If they tried to do it more often, Monsieur De Courcillon assured them that the Prince would be informed, and then they'd all be in a nasty mess. Constantin didn't believe the Monsieur would do such a thing. He thought their tutor liked them, and his own skin, too much to risk that, but Marcelline erred on the side of caution. She wanted none to come under fire from the Prince, and so did everything she could to ensure compliance from her cousin.

Typically, their adventures remained within the confines of the palace and the immediate surroundings. Of late, however, Constantin had been determined to scout out every corner of Serene. The relationship between her uncle and cousin had grown ever more strained as Constantin grew older; only a few days before, she'd seen a bruise on Constantin's cheek. He'd laughed off her concern and claimed his own graceless gait as a reason, but Marcelline knew better. Though the Prince had never hit Marcelline or physically threatened her, his commanding presence and demand for absolute obedience was a force to contend with that even her mother found challenging to navigate. All her life, Marcelline's mother had taught her how to sail through the ebbs and flows of the Prince's moods, and she tried to guide her cousin in how to do the same. But Constantin was uninterested in complying with either his father, or Marcelline, and insisted upon forging his own path regardless of the pain it brought him.

"Come on, this way." Constantin tugged at her arm, redirecting them through the crowd to an area closer to the docks.

Marcelline followed with her head ducked down. They were both dressed in casual clothing, with Marcelline's long reddish blonde hair tucked under a floppy hat. Her body had been changing recently, with her mother remarking on Marcelline's development into womanhood, so there were more curves and lumps now. This wasn't the first time she'd had to disguise herself as a boy to follow Constantin, but it was the first time where Marcelline felt nervous at the prospect. She knew that her trousers hugged her in ways that they wouldn't with a boy, and though the shirt Marcelline wore was loose, with the harbor wind, it wouldn't be too difficult to discern her true gender with closer observation.

"There," Constantin stopped at the edge of the dock and pointed to a vessel sailing from the harbor, "what do you say we sneak aboard one of these boats and escape?"

Marcelline smiled at the shared fantasy, "I've always wanted to sail on one of those. To feel the sea wind against my face, and without a scrap of land in sight."

"Then let's go." Constantin turned to her, eyes wide with fervent excitement. Marcelline's heart beat faster at the sight of his conviction; her cousin was serious. Without further explanation, Marcelline knew that if she weren't successful in dissuading him, within the hour, they would be stowed away on one of these ships. He grabbed her hands and squeezed, "Let's escape from this prison and see the world!"

Constantin let go and pushed past her, and Marcelline had to double her steps to keep up, her brain also doubling as she tried to think of something to say or do to stop him. He weaved through the crowd until he spied a group of Nauts loading cargo. Winking as Marcelline, he moved forward and picked up a crate, dropping into step behind the closest Naut. Marcelline thanked the gods that neither one of them were wearing Naut clothing. She knew there was no way they could get on the ship like this; the Nauts were too guarded with their secrets to be fooled so easily, but she'd play along with her cousin for the time being. Marcelline also moved forward to pick up a crate, straining in her effort to lift it.

"Oi, what do you think you're doing?" Marcelline felt a heavy hand on her shoulder before it jerked her away from the crate and turned her around. "Do you think you can steal from the Nauts?" She dared not raise her head for fear of giving herself away. "You're barely strong enough to carry your weight." The man lifted her arms and shook them, "You must be stupid, to think you could make off with something twice as heavy as you."

Marcelline kept her head down, though she glanced to her side. Constantin still hadn't noticed her delay and was halfway to the gangplank. With the commotion this encounter was making, enough Nauts were looking at them that Constantin just might get on board. Marcelline frowned. She couldn't leave her cousin to his own devices. If the Nauts discovered him, no doubt they'd drop him in the sea rather than deal with him. She knew Constantin well enough to recognize that few felt anything close to affection for him.

"Have you got nothing to say, thief?" The man holding on to her shoulder shook her. "Do you know what Nauts do to thieves?" He leaned closer and dropped his voice to a whisper. "We feed the fishes with their cheating skins."

Though the threat was horrifying, there was a quality in the man's voice that had something strange happening to Marcelline's body. Her skin tingled and she noticed the man's scent—the sea but also sweat, leather, and something spicy—and was painfully aware of how close he stood and how hot his hand was on her shoulder. What was happening to her? Marcelline shivered.

"I feel your fear, boy," the man laid a second hand on her other shoulder and pulled her close, hauling her torso upward until she was on her toes, "now tell me where your partner is?"

Marcelline gulped and spoke softly, "Partner?"

"I saw you earlier, walking with another boy, where is he?" The man shook her, and Marcelline felt her hat start to give way. "I promise we'll deal more kindly with you if you tell us without more lies."

"I-" Marcelline took a steadying breath, "didn't lie to you."

The man scoffed and thrust her away from him, "You think trying to steal from the Nauts isn't trickery?"

Suddenly, the man grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm behind her back, hauling her forward against him. While her torso collided with his, Marcelline's hat fell, and her long hair tumbled down her back. Marcelline looked up in time to see the man, no, not a man, a youth perhaps only a few years older than Constantin, drop his tattoo-lined mouth open, and his yellow-green eyes widen in shock. He didn't let go of her despite the surprise, though she felt his painful grip on her wrist lessen marginally. Marcelline felt pulled to this man, and not just literally. There was something in his eyes that drew her in, and for a moment she felt herself sway further into him.

"Hey!" They both startled from their reverie, and Marcelline saw Constantin stomping back down the dock toward them. "Let go of my cousin!"

The youth's lips drew back into a smirk as he used his grip on Marcelline's wrist to shift her around until her back was against his chest, and she was facing Constantin. She'd never been this close to a man before, at least not one she wasn't training with. Their Coin Guard teacher, Kurt, often moved in and out of her personal space but was only as her teacher, and they never stood pressed against one another like this. From time to time, her girlish fantasies imagined such scenarios, and she wondered what Kurt would feel like holding her—he was handsome after all—but never had she been able to imagine those moments to this level of detail. The warmth, the firmness, the heady scent of man surrounding her. Marcelline almost wondered if the Nauts had magic and if she was under this youth's spell.

"I see the rat's accomplice has revealed himself," Marcelline felt the youth's chest rumble against her back as he spoke and she fought against the urge to lean he head back on his chest, "did you think we wouldn't find you?"

Marcelline tipped her head to the side and spoke, "We weren't trying to steal." The youth looked down, and the proximity of his face to hers felt intimate, like lovers in an embrace. At least, it would have if his grip was less harsh on her wrist, and her arm wasn't at such an uncomfortable angle. "Honest. We both wanted to get on board and sail away."

"Stowaways, eh?"

The youth let go of Marcelline and stepped back at the sound of a woman's approach. They both turned to see an older woman, obviously higher ranking than the youth who had apprehended Marcelline, draw closer with an affable smile on her face. She was more heavily tattooed than the youth, and though the markings were strange to Marcelline, she could tell that the woman was beautiful, carrying herself with great poise.

"Aye, captain, these two tried to get onboard by carrying our cargo." The youth nodded toward Marcelline, "I caught her, and her cousin revealed himself."

The captain nodded, pulling her hands together behind her back, "Thank you. You may go about your business. I'll see to our would-be stowaways."

The youth hesitated, giving Marcelline another once over, before he shook his head and grabbed the crate she'd tried to pick up. He purposefully brushed his shoulder against hers as he walked past, and he bumped into Constantin hard enough to jar her cousin into a new position and solicit a slew of insults from him. Marcelline picked up her hat and held it in front of her body. Though Constantin's flight had been successfully averted, they now faced the repercussions of his attempt.

"I don't think the harbor is the place for the Prince's son," the captain narrowed her eyes at Constantin and stared him down until Constantin looked to the ground, "or for his niece."

"How did you-"

The captain's smile stopped Marcelline's question, "A Naut never reveals secrets." She nodded toward the youth making his way up the gangplank, "I hope our young midshipman didn't give you too hard of trouble. Though, admitting, circumstances would have called for far worse were you not known to me."

"We won't bother you or your people anymore," Marcelline nodded toward Constantin and waited until her cousin nodded as well before returning her gaze to the captain, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience our presence may have caused but-"

"You don't want me to tell the Prince you were here?" The captain had an uncanny way of seeing Marcelline's thoughts, and again she wondered if this faction had magic about them. "Not to worry, young de Sardet, a Naut never reveals secrets." The captain stepped to the side and swept her arm outward, "Now, off with you. We've much to do before we weigh anchor, and I'm afraid I don't have the time for a tour."

"Thank you." Marcelline grabbed Constantin's hand and tugged him as she moved past. "Thank you so much."

The captain smiled, "I'm sure we'll meet again someday." She tipped her hat towards them, then turned to join the others on board.

Marcelline's steps faltered when her eyes caught sight of the youth again. He was leaning against the rails, staring directly at her. She couldn't read his expression, but Marcelline felt his gaze even when she straightened her shoulders and turned her back on him and the harbor.

"I wonder what Monsieur will say when he hears of this." Constantin laughed at her side as they hurried along. "Maybe he knows some of the Nauts' secrets."

Marcelline let Constantin chatter away excitedly as they journeyed back to the secret entrance of the palace. Her mind was only half on the conversation. The other half was still at the harbor, with a certain enigmatic youth.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave your critiques or praises in a review. Cheers!

"Look lively there, lads and lasses." Vasco shook his head at some recruits as they struggled under their chosen loads. "I promised the merchants and their Prince we would be off before the tide." One recruit, the one closest on the dock, stumbled, "You, man, carry that properly. That porcelain is worth more than your life." The man stumbled. Vasco sighed when he heard the responding crunch of broken goods, "There are some children we'd be best to refuse."

"Captain Vasco?"

A woman's questioning voice had Vasco turning on his heel. He saw her approach from across the dock. From her attire and the accompanying Coin Guard at her side, she was obviously a close member of the Prince's entourage. Vasco knew all the names of his passengers, and there were only a half dozen who hadn't checked in yet so she could be any number of those. But, Vasco raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. Even at this distance, there was something about her that struck Vasco as familiar. He didn't venture much further than harbor brothels when at the port, so it was unlikely they'd ever met.

"And you are?"

The woman advanced until she was an arm's length away, "I am Marcelline de Sardet, the Prince's niece. And Legate of the Congregation," Vasco snorted. That would explain her bearing and the mercenary. "If all is in order, we will soon be embarking on your boat-"

"Ship."

"Pardon?" The woman mimicked his stance and crossed her arms over her chest.

Vasco nodded towards the Sea Horse, "That is a ship, not a boat."

"Oh," he thought he saw the ghost of a smile tug at the edges of her lips, but she kept a blank expression "apologies captain. Is everything ready on your end for our departure?"

Vasco shook his head, "We're short a crew member. The cabin boy is missing," he knew Jonas' disappearance would have little bearing on the noblewoman's heart so added, "but have no fear, we will leave without him if he does not present himself before the tide."

"Is he an important member of the crew?" Her follow-up question confirmed his suspicions: she was as self-interested as all the rest of the nobles he'd had to deal with over the years.

Vasco didn't bother trying to appear as cordial as he answered, "We don't need him for sailing or navigation if that's what you mean. He's only a cabin boy." Vasco didn't add that they all started as such and worked their way through the ranks, so it wasn't so much the present duties as it was the future of Naut leadership at stake.

"He must've simply had a bit too much to drink in celebrating his departure, like another I know." The woman exchanged a look with the mercenary guard after she spoke.

"You're referring to the young governor, aren't you?"

The woman sighed and dropped her arms to her side, "Yes, he didn't come home this morning. I need to find him before our departure. I hope nothing's happened to him…"

"Or he hasn't changed his mind," Vasco added, feeling a strange sense of triumph at the responding disgruntled look on the woman's face. "The tide does not wait for governor or cabin boy, Legate."

The woman looked past Vasco to his ship, her almond-shaped eyes taking in the organized chaos that was the harbor just before departure. It struck again him with a sense of familiarity, but Vasco tapped it down. There was no sense in fixating on such trivialities. She returned her gaze to his.

"Is there anything you can tell me about your cabin boy?" Vasco shifted his weight toward his heels in surprise. "Any associates who might shed more light on his whereabouts? While I am looking for my cousin, perhaps I might also find your cabin boy."

Vasco didn't expect the woman to deliver but humored her idle curiosity with answers. When Jonas showed up a few hours later, none the worse for wear, and with a story of rescue by her hands, Vasco's surprise doubled. Then, when she arrived with her cousin, also recently rescued by her from would-be kidnappers, Vasco felt his surprise triple. Finally, when the creature recently transported from Teer Fradee awoke and attacked the harbor, only to be subdued and killed by the woman, Vasco felt respect and admiration for her grow despite his earlier assumptions.

"Green blood," the Coin Guard mercenary rushed to her side once the creature was dead, and the danger passed, "how do you fare?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Fine, fine. Is Constantin all right?" She looked past the mercenary and saw her cousin standing unharmed by Vasco's side.

"Are you wounded?" The mercenary reached for her, but the woman stepped back and shook her head. It was evident to Vasco that the encounter shook her but not physically hurt.

"Your lessons have proven effective, Kurt." The woman smiled at her companion before turning back to survey the beast. "I've never seen a beast this size."

Vasco moved to stand beside her, "Yes, it is quite extraordinary." He studied her further, taking the in the way her gloved hands shook as she pressed them together in front of her body but also how she kept her expression neutral as her eyes studied the scene before her. She was certainly not at all like any other noblewoman he'd met.

"Cousin," the young governor came up to stand between them, "what a fight you were in! You were magnificent!" He gripped her shoulders before pulling her into a tight, though brief, embrace.

She made eye contact with Vasco over the governor's shoulder and smiled, "I am not of the same mind." She pulled back, "I have a feeling it was already weakened. I did nothing more than finish it off."

"Your humility remains a constant." Vasco watched as the man clapped a hand on her shoulder, "Believe me, that battle was absolutely epic." He turned his fiery eyes to Vasco, "Shall we, captain?"

Vasco gave a feigned formal bow, "Gentlemen," he allowed himself to smile at the Legate, "milady."

The young governor all but danced up the gangplank onto the Sea Horse while the Coin Guard mercenary was more deliberate in his steps, and the Legate was left on the dock with Vasco.

"Your cousin's enthusiasm is most impressive." Vasco gestured for her to precede him onto the ship.

She spoke over her shoulder, "This journey is his long-awaited chance to prove his worth." They stood side-by-side on deck, and both watched as the young governor continued to explore the various corners of the deck enthusiastically. "He has a demanding father."

"More likely, he's just happy to be free of this snakes' nest." The mercenary reminded Vasco of his presence with his comment spoken close to Vasco's side. "I definitely am."

The woman turned her gaze back to Vasco, and for a moment, a strange memory came to him. It was one he'd treasured at one time, using it as fodder for childish fantasies, but hadn't thought of in years. He realized that this noblewoman reminded him of the harbor waif he'd apprehended years before when he'd been midshipmen under the now Admiral Cabral, then captain. At least he had an answer to the sense of familiarity, though he was quite certain what it was about her that reminded him of the girl he'd held in his arms.

"If you'll excuse me," he tapped the brim of his hat as he passed the mercenary guard and his charge, "stations everyone." He moved to stand by the helm, "Now, catch me a wind."


	4. Chapter 4

"Lady de Sardet, do come down from there. We can't have you-" Monsieur De Courcillon's words cut off when another wave of nausea hit him.

Taking pity on her old tutor, Marcelline climbed down from the rigging she'd taken to exploring, "Don't worry, Monsieur, there's no harm done. I am quite familiar with the workings of this ship. Captain Vasco refused to have it any other way."

And it was true. Within the first days of their voyage, Captain Vasco ensured that every passenger was acquainted with the knots required for the ropes and rigging, the names and functions of all the various parts of the ship, and which areas were strictly off-limits to passengers—unless they wanted to be conscripted into Naut service. He did not, however, tell them about the hows in which they sailed, steering clear of the "magic" used for Naut purposes. Marcelline knew there was no magic involved. She had her theories regarding how the Nauts accomplished their monumental sailing feats but had so far been unable to confirm them into fact.

Monsieur seemed to want to say more, but the color left his face and he clutched at the railing. Though he had no contents to empty from his stomach, the poor man retched while Marcelline patted his back. Most of the delegates and passengers were like this, much to the amusement of the Naut crew. Of the newcomers, it seemed only Marcelline and a handful of Coin Guard were untroubled by the sea. Those of the Coin Guard unaffected, Kurt being one of them, all had served a time guarding cargo and delegates on Naut ships and so were accustomed to the swaying deck. For Marcelline, there was no such excuse. She chalked it up to her lifelong affinity for water.

"Kurt," Marcelline caught sight of her bodyguard and motioned him closer, "would you mind helping Monsieur back to his quarters?"

"Certainly." Kurt looped De Courcillon's arm around his neck and tugged him towards the door leading down to the passenger's quarters. "Don't worry, Monsieur, give it a few more days and you'll get your sea legs yet."

Marcelline smiled as she watched them weave their way out of sight. She eyed the rigging again, tempted, but turned away and made her way to the bow of the ship. A few Nauts were at work scrubbing the deck and checking the rigging, but none paid her any attention. Though some nobles labeled Nauts as raucous and unseemly, especially towards women, Captain Vasco ran a good crew. None had batted a rude eyelash at them, and Marcelline was certain Vasco would toss them overboard if they ever did. He seemed to favor efficiency and self-regulation. There was no need for constant double-checking if this or that should be done. The crew knew their duties, knew how to do them, and completed them without needing the captain to hover. It was such a change from her work with nobles in the realm of diplomacy. Nobles rarely did what they said they'd do, and never without a bit of hovering.

The bow was empty and those Nauts who had been nearby moved on to their next duties. Marcelline smiled to herself as she double-checked once more. No one. She made quick work of swinging her legs over the railing and dropping into the netting. Ever since she'd seen this ship, Marcelline had yearned for the moment to sneak away from her companions and lay in the freedom of this place. Laying here she could feel the spray from the sea, the cool of the breeze, and the warmth of the sun as it darted in and out of the clouds overhead. Depending on how she lay, it could lull Marcelline into a meditative state watching the white caps of the waves as they pressed against the hull of the ship or let her imagination run rampant as she decided what sorts of animals the clouds looked like. It was a heady feeling, this absolute intimacy with nature while cocooned in the technology of man. Marcelline lay back and breathed deeply the salted air...

She wasn't aware of falling asleep, only Marcelline realized she had when she heard her name by a husky voice and felt an accompanying hand shake her shoulder. Marcelline's eyes blinked open, and she startled when the visage of Captain Vasco was the first thing she saw. His lips were pulled back in a sly smirk as he watched her shake herself further awake.

"I see my secret spot is a secret no longer."

Marcelline shifted on the netting to pull herself into a sitting position. Vasco sat closer to the bowsprit than the hull, one of his legs dangling over the edge of the netting into the air below. He no longer wore his hat, and the wind tugged some hair loose from his leather tie. The honeyed wisps waved against his cheeks and forehead, filling Marcelline with a sudden, and unexpected, desire to touch them.

She coughed and broke eye contact. "I hope my presence here has caused no problems."

Vasco looked back up to the railing above them and his smile continued to be lazy and sly, "No one has mounted a search for you if that's what you're worried about. I don't know how long you've been down here, but it certainly hasn't been long enough to be missed."

"Oh, that's good," Marcelline relaxed more then, letting the environment set her nerves at ease. She didn't understand why, out of all the Nauts she'd encountered, it was the Captain who'd captured her attention the most. There was something familiar about him, a certain quality in his voice and the way he looked at her, that reminded her of the Naut who'd caught her years before during Constantin's attempted escape, but Marcelline hadn't quite gotten the courage to ask him for confirmation yet. "You said this was your 'secret spot'?"

Vasco hummed his assent as he shifted on the netting more to get more comfortable. He no longer studied her but seemed content enough to have her nearby as his eyes took in the world around them. "The bowsprit netting has always been the place I'd disappear to when I wasn't on duty. Even as a cabin boy. Got reprimanded more than once I'd say, if memory serves correct, for my disappearing acts."

"You sound like you were a precocious boy," Marcelline smiled and drew her knees towards her chest, "it is pleasant to talk to you like this, Captain. I was afraid you were still mad at me."

"Mad at you?" Vasco turned his head towards her, "What made you think that?"

Marcelline shrugged, "Thought perhaps you resented the fact that I called your ship a boat."

"Oh," Vasco laughed and Marcelline felt like ribbons of pleasure were unfurling in her stomach at the sound, "No, it has nothing to do with that."

"So you are mad at me then?" Vasco looked ready to protest, but he caught sight of Marcelline's teasing smile and he relaxed back into the netting.

"Nobility makes me uncomfortable. I'm sorry if I was rude." His shifting on the netting tossed Marcelline a bit, but she stabilized as Vasco faced her. "I was wrong about you."

Marcelline's eyebrows rose, "Oh? Did I make sure a poor impression?"

"You differ from the other nobles I've worked with. I should have realized that sooner." His smile fell away to a look of serious regard. "I hope you can forgive my sluggish manners."

"I can't blame you for feeling a bit of animosity towards nobles. They are tiresome, and I speak from experience. As for forgiveness, well, it is inevitable to make quick judgment calls based on past experiences. No forgiveness necessary." Marcelline worked on her courage as she continued, "May I ask, how did you become a Naut?"

Vasco's lips tugged back into another affable smile, "You may have guessed, I am sea-given. My family gave me to the Nauts when I was a little child for a reason I am uncertain of, though most likely it was to honor a contract. The Nauts and the Congregation have a complex relationship and often merchant families pledge one of their children to honor a contract made with Naut captains. I think I was originally from the Congregation, and that my family was most likely affluent, but I took my first steps on the deck of a ship and that's all I can remember."

"I envy you, in a way." Marcelline sighed and at Vasco's questioning look she added, "I've always loved the sea. Or, in truth, anything to do with bodies of water. I tend to be happiest when in, on, or around it. And the idea of growing up on a ship, well, that is where I envy you. Only a handful of times have I ever been onboard a ship. Most of the vessels I was allowed on growing up were harbor boats."

Vasco laughed, "Is that why you called the Seahorse a boat?"

"Perhaps, even though I promise I know the difference." Marcelline shared in his laughter. "Though it was never a topic of official tutoring, Monsieur De Courcillon humored my interest in nautical adventures. He would bring me the published journals of past Naut admirals and one of my favorite birthday presents, ever, was the tome he found that laid out the schematics of some of the most famous ships of recorded history." Marcelline felt the energy from her memory flow through her veins and couldn't stop herself from squirming as a result as she continued her story, "I thought it would only have Congregation based ships but I was surprised to find ships from all over the Continent, even from civilizations I'd never heard of." Marcelline shivered with delight and grinned sheepishly as she confessed, "Just as you used to sneak away here to be alone in your secret spot, I would take that book and disappear from the balls and parties my family expected me to attend so I could journey in my imagination to the far reaches of the world."

Vasco's gaze had never wavered during her story, and Marcelline felt near giddy from the intensity of his attention. Though their acquaintance could be measured in days, Marcelline felt as if he could see and was interested in parts of her soul no other person had ever expressed a desire to know.

"Now it is YOU who sounds like a precocious child." Vasco's smile made Marcelline feel as if the sun's warmth was in her heart and on her skin both. "The sea-given are entrusted to the Nauts by their family to honor contracts as I was, or to fulfill the desires of the family for their children to be sea-worthy individuals, or they volunteer themselves at an older, more independent age. Did you ever tell your family of your desires?"

Marcelline shook her head, "There wasn't time for dreams like that, at least not to be spoken aloud. My cousin has always had great pressure put upon him by his father and my own mother has long-held dreams of my taking up the robes of Legate. I never knew that was a possibility and if my family knew, it was never a possibility for them to consider." Marcelline tipped her head to the side, "What is the difference between sea-given and sea-born?"

"Any child born on a Naut ship automatically becomes one of them."

Marcelline frowned, "Do they have a choice in the matter?"

"As far as I know," Vasco shrugged, "no. It is compensation for safe passage into this world." He winked, and though the gravity of his words surprised her, his playful nature was intoxicating.

Her courage burgeoning, Marcelline took a deep breath and pressed on, "In your time as a young Naut, did you ever come to Serene's harbor?"

Vasco nodded and there seemed to be hesitancy about his mannerisms as he replied, "Much of my early youth was spent with a Captain Lisandro and we rarely came to Serene's harbor except maybe a handful of times. Later, I served with Captain Cabral, now Admiral, and Serene was a common port-of-call for her."

"Oh," Marcelline leaned forward, "when you anchored in the harbor, did you ever have to worry about people stealing cargo or trying to sneak onboard?"

Vasco sat up and surprised Marcelline when he leaned forward, so much so he had to brace his weight on his palms, and Marcelline ended up leaning back to keep from pressing their faces together. She again felt his gaze bore through her physical body and deep into her soul, but the depth of his gaze did not bother her. Yes, it was a new experience to have a man so close to her like this but Vasco didn't make her feel threatened.

Another moment passed before Vasco's sly smile came back and he seemed satisfied with some sort of internal dialogue. Instead of answering her question, Vasco continued his movement forward and took hold of the wooden beam behind her. Even with the warmth of the sun surrounding them, he was close enough that Marcelline could distinctly register his warmth mingling with her own. Again, though strange, Marcelline didn't feel frightened. If anything, the nervous heartbeat increase had more to do with acknowledging Vasco's handsome qualities than anything else.

"We should return to the deck. The dinner bell will ring," as if by magic the metallic ting filled the air around them, "and I believe your companions will wish to see you."

Even though his words indicated the necessity to leave, his actions continued to denote a man content to remain. And he remained, close to her, intensely studying her, until they both heard Vasco's second-in-command call for him. With another smile and a wink, Vasco pulled himself out of the netting and disappeared over the railing. Marcelline waited, both for Vasco and his mate to move away, and for her heart to calm down. There was definitely something about Captain Vasco that set her mind aflame and got her heart pounding.


	5. Chapter 5

Vasco laughed at Lauro's jest, clapping the inebriated Naut on the back, before taking another swig from his rum ration. It was a calm sea this evening, and all the Nauts not on duty had come to the above decks for some downtime. They were gathered in little groups dotting the deck, some gambling, others singings and making music with their homemade instruments, other content to drink and listen to the goings-on of their peers, and still others more inclined to share stories and jests. Vasco always took time at each group whenever this happened—which was sadly not as often as they'd all prefer—so his crew could feel seen and understood by their Captain.

Movement from the door leading into the passenger's quarters caught Vasco's attention, and through the dim lighting of the deck lamps, he made out the form of the young governor emerging. Vasco found Constantin's enthusiasm for life entertaining but felt little else for the man. He was more like Vasco's earlier assumptions against the nobility and was a far cry different from his cousin, and the young waif Vasco had once held close in his arms.

Vasco smirked at the memory, and also at the sight of Marcelline as she came out to join her cousin. He still hadn't told the Legate. Vasco knew it was a kind of torture, leaving elusive remarks scattered here and there in their shared conversations in the weeks after their bowsprit meeting. He'd edge closer to telling her, but then, before he gave too much away, he'd back away again. Marcelline always caught the remarks, and Vasco could tell from her mannerisms that they took aback her. However, she had not yet garnered the courage to ask him directly if he was in truth the Naut who'd captured her as she followed her cousin's folly.

"She is a beauty."

Vasco turned to look at his first mate Reuben. Reuben was the newest member of his crew, and Vasco still had yet to figure the man out. He was assuredly a man for profit and an opportunist at best, but there was a quality about him that seemed to make the noble's assumptions against Nauts ring accurate. Time would tell if the man would cut it in Vasco's crew, and for the time being, Vasco had no reason to hold the man in ill regard.

"Who?"

Reuben smirked, "I saw you looking at the Legate, Captain, and there's no harm there. We've all seen her." Vasco followed Reuben's gaze to the gathering of Nauts around them. There were a few confessional nods, but most merely blinked from neutral expressions. It seemed they were less interested in revealing their real thoughts. "Makes a man wonder-"

"Well," Vasco stood from the coil of rope he'd been perched on, "I think I'll see what Jonas is up to." He raised his glass in the men's direction, gave Reuben a more extended look, then walked away. He had no interest in being drawn into pointless conversations about noblewomen. Even if said noblewoman once haunted his childhood fantasies.

Vasco took his time as he made his way across the deck towards the group Jonas was in. He stopped at a few more groups, shared a few toasts, and was still smiling at something Flavia had said when he rounded a secured group of crates and found Jonas. The group the cabin boy joined had taken to dancing, and Vasco smirked as he watched a few of the Coin Guard mercenaries pound out a barracks jig. Keeping time with their clapping was both the governor, his cousin, and their old tutor.

The song ended, and the laughing Coin Guard ended with an unnecessary flourish. This served its purpose, however, in that both the governor and Legate erupted into more laughter. Vasco couldn't help but smile as he watched Marcelline clutch her stomach and slap her knee at the way her bodyguard acted. Vasco could tell there was more affection between the Legate and her bodyguard than was the norm, but what they meant exactly hadn't been displayed by either individual.

"Your turn," Kurt extended his hand towards Marcelline and Vasco watched as a mixture of surprise and confusion crossed the woman's face.

"But I don't know any of these dances."

Constantin sighed, "We were only taught the boring kinds of dances. The one's you fall asleep to."

"I do beg your pardon," Monsieur De Courcillon feigned a look of offense and received a reassuring shoulder pat from Marcelline even as he winked at her. "Jigs and reels are not part of the regular repertoire of dance sets at the palace."

Kurt shifted closer and kept his hand extended, "I'll teach you. Come on." Marcelline hesitated no longer and was pulled to her feet and nearly into Kurt's arms with one swift pull. Vasco raised his eyebrows at the motion. "You stand like this first," Kurt shifted into position opposite Marcelline, "and the basic footwork is as follows," Kurt did a series of movements. Vasco recognized the footwork to be a common reel, "and then when I signal we'll come together like this," Kurt reached out and took Marcelline's hands, one crossed over the other, "and we will reel in a circle before weaving between the other partner," Kurt nodded towards two other Nauts who had come forward, keen on joining the dance. Kurt smiled back at Marcelline, "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Marcelline smiled before letting go of Kurt and stepping back into position.

Vasco hadn't realized his movement until he was suddenly standing next to where the young governor sat, much closer than he had been before. It surprised him, the lack of awareness of his own movements, but he thought very little of it. Instead, Vasco kept his attention on the dancers, namely Marcelline. Her actions were amateur and a bit clumsy, but she had enthusiasm and seemed determined to master the dance. Vasco smiled. He'd never seen a noblewoman dance a reel like this before and see this particular noblewoman dance, on his ship, fed something eager inside Vasco he didn't have a name for.

Marcelline's laughter carried over the music. While Vasco wanted to remain, he knew he still had at least two more groups of Nauts to visit before it was time for his nighttime duties. He uncrossed his arms and passed in front of Constantine and Monsieur De Courcillon. It was only because of a warning shout from the Monsieur that Vasco turned in time to catch the flailing form of the Legate. Vasco quickly surmised that the reel portion of this set had been conducted too enthusiastically by Kurt, and with a weak grip, Marcelline had been sent flying across the deck. Her momentum carried her into Vasco's arms and would've carried her against the railing, if not overboard if he hadn't been standing nearby.

Vasco was momentarily transported back to their first encounter years before, but the memory gave way to reality, and he smiled. She was warm and soft in all the right places. Marcelline's hands had come up to brace only to find purchase on Vasco's hips while his hands rested on her shoulders. She looked up and met his gaze, her eyes wide, and Vasco knew without asking that the shared memory was dancing at the edge of her mind as well.

"Are you stealing my dance partner, Captain?" Kurt's teasing voice interrupted their thoughts, and both Vasco and Marcelline dropped their holds and stepped back.

Vasco smirked, "We Nauts do value attractive acquisitions when they're thrown into our arms."

Kurt slapped his hands together as he laughed, "Well said, Captain. Only understand, the Coin Guard prefer death to surrender."

"For the right price," Marcelline tossed to her bodyguard with a mischievous smile.

"You wound me," Kurt placed a hand over his heart, "and all these years I thought-"

"You're the one who told me I was just a job," Marcelline laughed and waved away his feigned pain, "now, who is it?" Both men stared at her in question, "Who will finish this dance with me?"

Vasco bowed his head, "I have some duties to attend to and relinquish the acquisition into Coin Guard hands for safekeeping." He reached out, took Marcelline's hand, and placed a kiss on the inside of her wrist. Vasco felt her shiver, and he was the only one to see her eyes widen, and her cheeks flush. "But I will collect at a later time."

Vasco walked away without further exchange, though he heard some parting good-humored remarks from Kurt. So far, this voyage was far from what he'd expected and being so accustomed to the wiles of the sea, Vasco knew there were far greater surprises in store for them yet.


	6. Poetry before breakfast?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your support and encouragement, as that helps get back into the swing of the seas in this story. This chapter will feature some original poetry for the purpose of the chapter and some game dialogue reshuffled. Cheers!

Marcelline kept her gaze steady on the horizon as she mouthed the words to the poem. Monsieur expected a full recitation before their morning repast, and while she knew Constantin would be unlikely to memorize his, Marcelline felt it doubly necessary to memorize both her own and Constantin's in case he called upon her for help during their recitation. Marcelline sighed. It was unfortunate that Monsieur didn't feel the same desire to do away with their studies now that they were estimated to be a little under two months away from Teer Fradee; instead, their tutor, now that he no longer felt inclined to vomit out everything he'd ever eaten, had insisted upon resuming their studies for a period every day. When informed of the decision, Constantin reacted as expected: throwing such a commotion, it had taken Marcelline nearly two days to curb his petulance. Once won over to the concept of continued studies, Constantin continued to drift around the ship as much as he could, darting in and out of their lectures at near the same intervals as he had when they'd been back in Serene.

Marcelline glanced down at the book to refresh her memory, then returned her gaze to the horizon. She nearly had both poems fully integrated into her memory, with only a few rhymes and rhythmic paces off. It would help if she had someone to quiz her as she practiced, but there were only Nauts about at this pre-dawn hour, and the last time she'd asked Kurt to help her with something like this, the mercenary had very nearly tossed her book into the sea out of disgust. It seemed he had little patience for poetry, not that that fact surprised her in the slightest.

"Ah," Marcelline dropped the book in surprise at the sound of the captain's voice, suddenly just at her left side. Thankfully, the tome fell to the deck and not into a watery grave, and it was the captain who gallantly retrieved it. Glancing at the cover before returning it, Vasco's lips pulled into a smirk, "Poetry before breakfast?"

Marcelline tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled, "Monsieur expects a full recitation before our meal this morning. He's determined we shouldn't let a day go to waste in our studies before landing at Teer Fradee." At Vasco's disgusted look, Marcelline giggled, "My sentiments exactly, captain, and Constantin's too, but I haven't the heart to insist against Monsieur. And in all honesty, I enjoy poetry even when not forced to read it."

"Really?" Vasco held out his hand for the book, "Well then, shall I aid in your practice?"

Marcelline blushed but, as she'd just moments earlier wished for a practice partner, found no reason to resist his offer. Handing over the book, she shivered when their fingers brushed. Perhaps it was the chill of the early morning, or it could be her continued awareness of the captain, but it seemed her body thrummed with burgeoning energy whenever he was near. They had been aboard the _Seahorse_ for two months already, and in that time, she found herself noticing his preferences, predicting his moods, and paying closer attention to his mannerisms than was befitting a mere passenger aboard his ship. And he made it easy for her to fall into this fanciful infatuation, as that was indeed what it was; he was charming, quick-witted, of strong physique, and carried himself with an air of mystery that always left her wanting more. Marcelline still hadn't solved the consistent question of where it was she felt she'd met him before, but with each passing day, Marcelline believed more strongly that he was, in fact, that very Naut who'd caught her all those years ago. And beyond that, she had a growing inkling that he too knew who she was but had been playing a long game of catch-up with her, ever waiting to see if she caught on. For what reason he remained aloof, Marcelline had yet to discover.

Vasco held up the book and found the entry again, "' The Siren's Song' is it?" Marcelline nodded. "I remember this one being told to me by Captain Lisandro years ago. One of his favorites, he said." He smiled, and his eyes took on a far-off quality for a moment, leaving Marcelline with the opportunity to admire the way the growing light of morning cast a myriad of colors across his tattooed face. He did not yet wear his hat, though his light-colored hair was still bound back by a simple kerchief. Vasco shook himself out of his memory seconds later and jostled the book in front of her, "Begin."

Marcelline held her hands in front of her body in the pose Monsieur preferred for recitals, earning a chuckle from Vasco, and spoke with a clear voice,

_"There is a soft breeze_

_That drifts in from the seas,_

_Carrying on it the sounds,_

_That to me unbounds,_

_Stories of all the men_

_Who succumbed to the siren._

_Men who did look upon her_

_Were ready to err._

_Drawn to her craggy isle,_

_Enchanted by her misty smile,_

_They forgot their lives,_

_They abandoned their wives._

_Their boats they did break,_

_Then their souls did ache._

_She lured them and left them,_

_Ever always a fatal femme._

_Leaving them to cry_

_And watching them die._

_Now the breeze does sing_

_Of the siren's great sting,_

_Warning all wives_

_To guard their husband's lives_

_Against the siren and her song,_

_And to keep their men where they belong."_

Finished, she looked from the horizon back to Vasco and waited for confirmation of an accurate recitation. His expression was difficult to discern, but within seconds of her finishing, he nodded and cleared his voice, "You did well, Legate."

Marcelline frowned, "I believe we had this conversation more than once before, Captain Vasco." He raised an eyebrow, so she added, "I asked that you do away with the title and call me by my name."

"Very well, de Sardet." She noted he refrained from using her given name, but decided not to press the matter. He flipped through the book's pages until he stopped in an area she knew carried poetry from other regions, written in other languages. Her eyes widened when, with barely an accent, Vasco read one of her favorite poems found in that section.

_"Je_ _vais eteindre cette flamme de l'amour pour vous_

_Comme vous n'avez jamais allumé un pour moi_

_Et J'ai constaté que je ne suis pas anti-feu_

_Mais je vais eteindre cette flamme de l'amour_

_Ils disent que l'amour est donnant-donnant_

_Mais cette flamme a pris tout ce que j'ai_

_Je sais que je ne suis pas anti-feu_

_Alors je vais eteindre cette flamme pour vous_

_Et maintenant il est temps de nager jusqu'à la côte_

_Loin des flammes stagnante_

_Là, je me peindre un cœur nouveau_

_Et la joie s'enflamme mon âme._ "

They let the sound of his voice linger between them for a moment longer, each lost in their own thoughts before Vasco cleared his throat and indicated the poetry lines, "Do you know the translation for this poem?" She nodded, transfixed by the rumbling quality of his voice and the glowing quality of his gaze. "Which are your favorite lines?

"The last few lines," Marcelline felt a thrilling build in her body. It wasn't often that she discussed something she loved with anyone aside from Monsieur. "Where she says, 'And now it's time to swim to shore, away from stagnant flames, there I will paint myself a new heart and joy will ignite my soul.'" She sighed, aware of Vasco's amused smile at her obvious feminine reaction. "The concept of swimming away from the flames of a failed romance and finding joy again elsewhere through perseverance always struck a chord with me."

Vasco raised an eyebrow, "You've experienced so many failed romances at court already?" Marcelline opened her mouth to protest, but she spied the mirthful gleam in his eyes and smiled instead, giving off a feigned look of boredom instead. "For me the beginning," Vasco didn't need to look at the book to recite the translated line, "'I will put out this flame of love for you, as it is, you never lit one for me, and I have found that I'm not fireproof.'" While he didn't sigh as she had, Marcelline could tell that he was not unaffected by the lines. "Such a fiery ending to love happens time and time again for a Naut. It is inevitable for one who calls the sea their home and master."

Marcelline nodded and together they looked back to the horizon, each to their own thoughts. This was the longest they'd spoken together, aside from that day he found her in his secret spot. Normally either he or she had an associate underfoot to distract them or contribute to the conversation. This silence between them was companionable, and especially now that she felt a kinship for him over a similar appreciation for poetry, Marcelline felt emboldened to press her curiosity to the surface of their silence.

"If you don't mind me asking," Marcelline refrained from looking at her toes or shifting her feet, as she was oft tempted to do when about to say something potentialy uncomfortable, "but do you ever wish you had not been sea-given?" When Vasco's eyes widened and his head tipped back as if her words and struck him, Marcelline quickly held up her hands and snatched the poetry book from his, ready to retreat once he rejected her. "I meant no offense by the question. Monsieur said my curiosity would be the death of me, either that of Constantin's antics." She tucked the book into her vest pocket and bowed her head in apology, "I'm sorry if I overstepped."

Vasco surprised her when he laughed. His hands on his hips, head tilted back and catching the morning sun, his laughter danced across the ship's deck, with the sound of it turning her nerves into jelly and tempting her to fall shamelessly against him.

"Grow up wearing silks instead of polishing ship bridges?" Vasco shook his head, turning to drop his forearms on the railing beside them, his eyes studying the horizon as he answered. "Don't worry about offending me, de Sardet. If anything, I'm sure the Monsieur is more worried one of us Nauts will offend your noble sensibilities soon enough."

Marcelline leaned her hip against the railing, keeping her gaze on his profile, "Growing up in nobility does not keep me as sheltered as you might think, captain."

"Noted, de Sardet," Vasco's eyes gleamed once more with mischief when he glanced in her direction, "and to answer your question, how could I not be regretful? I never got to experience a mother's love or a lavish youth." He shrugged as if he'd long ago dealt with those regrets and come out the other side of that storm stronger for it. "But instead of such memories, I have others. For example, I remember the first time I climbed on the shrouds." He turned to lean his elbows on the railing, his torso angling upwards as his eyes took in the details of the sails above them. Again Marcelline kept her gaze on him even as his gaze traced the cords he spoke of, "the incredible view, dizziness, a sensation of complete freedom." When his eyes trailed back to her, Marcelline felt her heart hitch and her breath catch. There was such elation in his expression, such passion in his voice. "It was an unforgettable moment." His voice dipped lower, his own gaze stuttering as it traveled over the contours of her face.

Marcelline felt her cheeks flush and barely murmured, "I can only imagine how it felt." And it was true. The closest thing to complete freedom she'd ever felt was when she was in the water, beneath its surface, hiding from all duties and pressures of court. She physically shook herself, suddenly aware of the fact that in his sharing, she'd shifted forward and now all but lay against his side, even without the aid of the rocking ship. "But it sounds amazing."

"Aye," Vasco's voice continued to speak softly in a whisper meant only for her ears, his eyes warm and his smile carefree, "it was. I wouldn't trade that memory for all the gold in the world."

Marcelline startled them both when her fingers of their own volition came out and lightly touched the darkened ink lines of a tattoo on his cheek. She dropped her hand almost as suddenly as it had risen and clasped it together behind her back to keep herself from giving in to a second temptation to touch his skin. Though brief, from the touch she'd noted a light stubble atop the warm flesh. She cleared her throat and rocked back on her heels.

"What do the Nauts tattoos mean?"

She thought she heard a smile in his voice when he replied, glancing up through her lashes to see that he was indeed smiling at her with that same warm affection as had developed earlier in their conversation, "The first tattoo we get shows whether we're sea-born or a sea-given, the rest of them tell our story. They tell of everything we've been through, our rank, but also the storms we've sailed through."

"What do yours mean?" Marcelline wanted to bite off her tongue, and yet she couldn't stop herself from asking, fueled by an insatiable desire to know this man more. And he was still making it so easy for her to fall further into this foolhardy infatuation, his effervescent charm affable and alluring.

"That I am sea-given," he pointed to one of the tattoos on his face before tracing his fingers over another complex knot of designs, "that I sailed through a hurricane when I was little, that I performed several voyages as a captain without losing a single man," his fingers stopped tracing out the patterns he alluded to. He crossed his arms over his chest as he studied her then, "does my entire curriculum really interest you?"

Marcelline blushed as she forced her voice to sound as casual as possible, "It's important to me I get to know you better." At his look, she stumbled over the rest of her explanation, "You are, after all, the captain of the ship taking us to Teer Fradee, and I have always been fascinated by the life at sea."

"I'm flattered," he dropped his arms and stepped nearer, one of his feet moving between hers, his shoulder and the side of his chest pressing against hers, his hip directly aligned with hers, as his head dipped closer and his voice dropped to a playful whisper once more, "but there are other ways to do so than questioning me you know."

Marcelline's heart nearly erupted from her chest, and she didn't recognize the breathy voice that replied to him, although she logically knew that it was her own, "And what other ways might you suggest, captain?"

One of his crew members called his name from elsewhere on the deck, and they both sighed as one as if they were just as disappointed at the interruption. His eyes still held playful promise when they locked onto hers after a brief study down the ship to the source of the cry.

"Join me for dinner in my quarters tonight, and I'll tell you."

She let herself fall onto the railing and grip the smooth wooden surface once he left her to return to his duties. Her knees were mush now, and not from the swaying of the ship.,

"Green blood," Marcelline looked up from her personal crisis to find Kurt's frowning visage approaching, "what did the captain want with you?"

"Oh," she gulped before standing straight again, "he was helping me practice for the poetry recital, then assuaged some curiosity regarding aspects of Naut culture."

Kurt reached out and flicked a finger against her forehead. Painfully, and without warning. Marcelline yelped and stepped back, rubbing at the offended spot on her skin. It was his habit to do this when he found something she did to be ridiculous, when she repeated a mistake he chastised her for, or just for the fun of it—his fun, obviously.

"I asked what the captain wanted with you, not what the two of you had been up to. I was watching from over yonder," he pointed over his shoulder towards the door that led into the interior of the ship, "and you really have no clue, do you? I thought I'd taught you better."

"No clue about what?" Marcelline dropped her hand from her face and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You dropped your guard, and he took advantage. If he'd been of a mind, he could've killed you, standing so close before you two parted ways." Kurt shook his head. "And that's just looking at it from a defensive stance. There's the political scandal stance to consider, but I'm not Monsieur nor your uncle, so that side of things is your own business."

"Political scandal?" Marcelline narrowed her eyes. "What are you inferring, Kurt?"

"You never answered my question."

Marcelline clenched her fists and widened her stance, "What question?"

"What did he want with you?"

"Nothing. But if you must know, he invited me to join him for dinner in the captain's quarters to talk more about Naut culture, but aside from that, he didn't want a bloody thing."

Kurt's eyes widened, and for a moment, he said nothing, but then he too tipped his head back, and a hoot of laughter erupted from his throat. Unlike the sound of Vasco's laughter, Kurt's only irritated Marcelline as she knew it was at her expense.

"Naut culture?" He wiped at his eyes once he sobered enough to speak again. "Really? He invited you to his cabin to dine and talk about Naut culture?" Shaking his head, Kurt dropped a heavy hand on Marcelline's shoulder, "Come, Green Blood, we have practice."

"But Monsieur-"

Kurt kept his grip on her shoulder as he steered her away from the railing, "Oh, I think we should practice before you go recite that nonsense to Monsieur. Especially since you've such an important dinner planned later today." Marcelline tried to shrug off his hand, but he pulled her tighter against his side, "And while we're practicing, I think I've a few things to share with you about the ways of men that might prove useful for your riveting discussion later this evening."

"You think there's more going on than-" She didn't bother finishing her sentence; Kurt's knowing smile and eager nod answered her unvoiced question. "You suddenly seem all too amicable to the idea, whereas just moments ago, you looked ready to throttle either the captain or me at the mere thought!"

Kurt shrugged, "That was before I knew the captain's angle. Now knowing it, I feel less murderous and more inclined to help you throw him off-kilter. Call it a man's desire to compete or cause mayhem to another man."

"Angle? Help me throw him off-kilter?" Marcelline rubbed her fingers against her temples. "You really are confusing me."

"Not to worry," he not so gently pushed her through the open door in front of him, "soon you'll be too tired from sparring to feel much more than exhaustion."

What felt to be hours later, Marcelline realized how right he was.


End file.
